Contractors hang from bridge in Fallujah One of the more compelling back stories in the Iraq war has been the use of mercenaries, including former Army Special Forces troopers and Navy SEALS, who get paid fat salaries and out-of-this-world bennies to guard prisoners, protect convoys, stand sentry and do security overflights. The cream of this crop work for Blackwater USA, … [Read more...] about The Monetary & The Mercenary
Palestinian Civil War Continues
More news from Palestine: - Nine Palestinians killed in Hamas-Fatah gunfights in Gaza. Hamas seems to have a 'hit-list' of Fatah officials it wants to kill. "The top name on the list is PA National Security Adviser Muhammad Dahlan, who is currently in Egypt." The fighting has, reportedly, also spread to the West Bank. - Human Rights Watch says that "armed Palestinian groups … [Read more...] about Palestinian Civil War Continues
No Confidence Vote
Larry Wright, The Detroit News … [Read more...] about No Confidence Vote
Take A Peek
....at Newcritics, Tom Watson's truly superb popular culture group blog. When it says "The Best In Web Criticism," it is NOT an overstatement. You can boil down the reaction to a quick and detailed read this way: The criticism and posts on this site are to be read, savored and emulated. It's truly a place that elevates web criticism. For instance, with THIS POST on … [Read more...] about Take A Peek
The activist press: A professional dilemma
Tonight was the Society of Professional Journalists' Washington DC chapter awards ceremony, the "Datelines" (my "Journys" suggestion received no laughs), a well-meaning but overlong paean to a few journalists' lifetime of service and an exercise in category domination by a hand-and-a-half-ful of D.C. outlets that cared to submit their work. We were our usual selves - … [Read more...] about The activist press: A professional dilemma
That’s One OLD Whale!
AP: 19th-century weapon found in whale BOSTON - A 50-ton bowhead whale caught off the Alaskan coast last month had a weapon fragment embedded in its neck that showed it survived a similar hunt — more than a century ago. Embedded deep under its blubber was a 3 1/2-inch arrow-shaped projectile that has given researchers insight into the whale's age, estimated between 115 and … [Read more...] about That’s One OLD Whale!
It’s Dan Rather Versus Katie Couric And Les Moonves
Dan Rather is now a senior, retired network anchor. Otherwise, you'd have to say "Not a good career move!" when you read this: Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather escalated a feud with his former employer Tuesday, saying CBS Corp. (CBS) (CBS) Chief Executive Leslie Moonves "doesn't know about news." Moonves had said earlier Rather's remarks that the network was … [Read more...] about It’s Dan Rather Versus Katie Couric And Les Moonves
Who’s Getting Financial Aid?
Increasingly, not the folks that need it most. … [Read more...] about Who’s Getting Financial Aid?
Center of Attention
Get ready for today's Center of Attention! Chuck Butcher wrote a great post about what truly matters in life. Is it all about 'success,' or is it about doing what one believes to be right, even if there are no immediate rewards? It seems that America beats dictators in how many of its citizens it locks up. Not exactly something to be proud of. Was Bob Woolmer killed … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Honor Killing: for Fleeing Abusive Husband of Arranged Marriage, and Loving Another
This is Banaz Mahmod, who was given twenty years on earth. And no more. Ten years ago her Kurdish family immigrated to London from Iraq, to escape Saddam, they said. The father married teenaged Banaz to a man who harmed her. She ran, kept running. Four times, she pled for protection from London Police. Four times, they dismissed her. Killers raped her first, then … [Read more...] about Honor Killing: for Fleeing Abusive Husband of Arranged Marriage, and Loving Another
Phil and Fred’s Excellent Caricature
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Phil and Fred’s Excellent Caricature
Blair: Media “Feral Beast”
Three cheers for Tony Blair. In a speech today, he called the British press a "feral beast." The NYT's Alan Cowell wonders: "was it justified, as Prime Minister Tony Blair did today, to call the press a 'feral beast'?" Of course it was, mostly because it is true. The press often treated Blair in a ridiculous manner. Certain British newspapers passionately opposed the Iraq War … [Read more...] about Blair: Media “Feral Beast”
The Sum of All Fears
Arguing against the vote of no confidence for Alberto Gonzalez, Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott asked "Are we going to bring the president in here and have a question period like the prime minister has in Great Britain?" Putting aside all the other issues, would that really be that bad of an idea? It actually sounds rather appealing to me. … [Read more...] about The Sum of All Fears
Redistricting Watch: Play the Game
Researchers from the University of Southern California's Annenberg Center for Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, and School of Cinematic Arts have unveiled The ReDistricting Game, a free online tool which "exposes how redistricting works, how it is abused, and how it adversely affects our democracy. It provides hands-on understanding of the real redistricting … [Read more...] about Redistricting Watch: Play the Game
The Immigration Issue: It’s Really Very Simple
Jackie Mason and Raoul Felder explain that conservatives and centrists are, essentially, inventing problems, in this case an immigration problem: We have a simple solution to the immigration debate. But first, why do we talk about the immigration problem? We have an immigration problem when people fight to get out of a country, not to get into a country. What we have here is … [Read more...] about The Immigration Issue: It’s Really Very Simple
Hamas Overruns Gaza
I support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but are these jokers ready to manage their own state? Haaretz: Hamas attacks key Fatah security positions across Gaza Strip Hamas, stepping up a rapidly expanding power struggle, Tuesday afternoon attacked installations of security forces allied to the rival Fatah movement across the Gaza Strip. The … [Read more...] about Hamas Overruns Gaza
Iraq I: The War’s Dirty Little Secret
Lost in the cacophony over when the drawdown of U.S. troops should or will commence is that the U.S. has no intention of altogether leaving Iraq. It always has been a long-term objective of the Bush administration to have permanent bases in Iraq because of their strategic location between Syria and Jordan to the west, Turkey to the north, Saudia Arabia to the south, and the … [Read more...] about Iraq I: The War’s Dirty Little Secret
Iraq II: Don’t Forget Byron and Alex
Byron R. Fouty (top) and Alex Jimenez disappeared in the Triangle of Death in Iraq one month ago today. More here. … [Read more...] about Iraq II: Don’t Forget Byron and Alex
Sopranos Finale
Mike Lester, The Rome News-Tribune … [Read more...] about Sopranos Finale
Albania: Protect Your Land Like the Eagle Protects its Nest*
The news is full of Albanians being ‘unanimously’ in agreement with George Bush’s War in Iraq. Really? I don’t doubt that some Albanians might agree, for Albanians are fierce; they come from ancient tribal people. They have been in constant war or resistance since the time the Romans came to crush them. Then the Turks, then Italy and Germany. Then the Russians. … [Read more...] about Albania: Protect Your Land Like the Eagle Protects its Nest*